Your comments: Bernie Fine's case is nothing like Penn State

Meredith Klein, a Class of 2009 Syracuse University graduate, submitted following in response to the Bernie Fine story:

Bernie Fine, who is one of the assistant men's basketball coaches at Syracuse (my alma mater), is being investigated for child molestation. In wake of the Penn State scandal, every precaution needs to be taken to protect the University which is why I believe he was almost immediately (1 1/2 hours later) put on administrative leave. But the ways these allegations are being treated by the media and the public aren't entirely fair and there are A LOT of differences between the two issues. It's extremely easy to say "another top tier University program in shambles" and "another sex crimes cover up" but the only thing the same in these two cases are the ALLEGATIONS. I know some of you are immediately going to assume that I'm only defending Syracuse because of my allegiance, but hear me out, because I also worked with sex crimes victims and know the signs of abuse and the different ways victims of abuse, especially sex abuse react, along with statute laws and some other things I've learned through experience.

First and foremost the way the alleged victims approached the subject of being sexually abused are 180 degrees different from each other. The 12 plus victims that have accused Sandusky of abusing them have remained anonymous due to privacy issues and fear of being crucified by the Penn State faithful. The two 'victims' (also 1/2 brothers) of Bernie Fine went directly to ESPN in 2003 and went to ESPN again in 2011. Most victims either a. disclose the information to no one at all, b. disclose the information to a trusted source (parent, teacher, friend, etc) or c. act out in a way that triggers someone to ask questions...while I am the first one to admit that people cope in different ways, I can assure you that only ONE of my victims ever went directly to the press and her case was dismissed within days and she underwent a psych evaluation. You can also watch the interview of Bobby Davis and his half brother on ESPN and see for yourself if you think they are in fact victims of sex abuse.

Second of all, the statutes of limitations in the two states are COMPLETELY different. In Pennsylvania you have until your 50th birthday to report that you were sexually abused as a child. In New York, you have until you're 23 years old (18 + 5 years) to disclose childhood sexual abuse...and that's for a FELONY. If it's a first degree felony, there is no statute, but forcible touching, which is essentially what Fine is being accused of is by no means a felony which gives it the misdemeanor statute of two years after the victims 18th birthday. Bobby Davis, the accuser, is now 39 years old ... when he first brought the allegations to ESPN, he was 33, well past the statute.

Third of all, there is NO corroborating evidence. The police AND Syracuse University investigated the allegations in 2005 and both dismissed the case...In fact, ESPN and The Post Standard (Syracuse's largest newspaper) didn't even RUN the story, because of the unfounded claims. The Penn State Scandal has eye witnesses, outcry witnesses and a University cover up. The Syracuse case has two half brothers, saying they were both 'handled' by Bernie Fine until they were in their late 20's.

Finally, Sandusky has stated in interviews that he showered with the boys, he 'horsed around' with them and when asked if he was sexually attracted to young boys took an extremely uncomfortable pause before he answered that he 'enjoyed being around them'. He also didn't have the support of Joe Paterno, the figurehead of Penn State Football, mainly because JoPa knew about the allegations. Bernie Fine had denied the allegations since 2003 and has Jim Boeheim's full support: "It is a bunch of a thousand lies that (Davis) has told. You don't think it is a little funny that his (relative) is coming forward? (Davis) supplied four names to the university that would corroborate his story. None of them did. ... There is only one side to this story. He is lying."

Now if these allegations pan out and Bernie Fine is charged (note that Sandusky was charged with 40 plus counts of child abuse and sex abuse among other things BEFORE the story went public) I will be the first one to say 'fire his butt, he does not represent Syracuse University the way it should be represented'. However, until a Syracuse Grand Jury finds there is enough evidence against Bernie Fine to charge him with numerous counts of child molestation, he has my support 100 percent and I would hope that others would follow suit.